The present invention relates to an evaporator assembly of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,976-Gelbard et al and 4,211,090-Gelbard et al, both assigned to General Electric Company, the assignee of the present invention.
The evaporator assembly in this type of refrigerator is in fact included in the partition which divides the fresh food compartment from the freezer compartment. Since the partition incorporating the evaporator is located totally within the refrigerator cabinet, it is essential that the amount of space it occupies be kept to a minimum. The temperature of the compartments is maintained by circulating air from the compartment across the evaporator coils. Due to the limited amount of space air flow initially contacts the leading portion of the evaporator and then flows downstream therethrough. When this happens frost builds up on the leading edge of the evaporator and accordingly restricts flow through the rest of the evaporator.
By the present invention the evaporator is so constructed that substantially all of the air flowing through the partition comes in direct contact with substantially all of the evaporator surface area. This requires that the evaporator assembly be designed and the parts arranged so that maximum air flow and efficiencies are built into an assembly occupying a minimum amount of space in the refrigerator cabinet.
In accordance with the present invention, a construction is provided which ensures an even distribution of frost throughout the evaporator surfaces, and which accomplishes this result in a simpler and more effective manner and with advantages not present in the prior art type arrangements described above.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide in a refrigerator of this type an improved air circulation and frost deposition arrangement which materially reduces interference with the circulation of air.